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1988 Toyota Corolla Reviews, Pricing & Specs

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$8,258 to $12,728

Original MSRP

--

expert review

4.7

avg user rating

(10 reviews)
1988 Toyota Corolla Preview summaryImage

The Toyota Corolla was redesigned for 1988, replacing the rear-drive coupe and liftback with a front-drive coupe. Across the board, the body was much less distinct than the previous generation, and almost an inch wide on the same wheelbase. For the first time, All-Trac four-wheel drive was an option on the wagon.

The 1988 Toyota Corolla came in many body styles with several trim levels. The sedan came as a base DX or better-equipped LE. The wagon was available as a DX or SR5. The coupe came as a SR5 or GT-S. The coupe hatchback only came as the FX. All Corollas came equipped with a DOHC, 16-valve inline four-cylinder engine. The sedans, front-drive wagon and SR5 coupe had a carbureted 90-horsepower engine; the All-Trac wagon had a fuel-injected 100 horsepower engine, and the GT-S had the most powerful with a 115-horsepower EFI version. Fuel economy is about 25 to 35 mpg, depending on the engine.

Many drivers of the 1988 Toyota Corolla have been driving their cars for a decade or longer. Owners also say that it handles well in the snow. Some drivers have had problems with the electrical system, and others complain about the lack of power.

CarGurus Editorial Team
Published Aug 9, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
Sometimes our content pages are the result of a team effort. As with all CarGurus editorial, you can expect high levels of automotive insight and expertise delivered in a style that is approachable and free from jargon.

User reviews for 1988 Toyota Corolla

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User rating:
by Carlos V
Nov 30, 2010
This one of my favorites, is a car that you can trust, you can drive it with pleasure and you can look at it with proud :) Doesn't drink much but doesn't have much power... try to buy the 1.6L. It must be funtastic! This version doesn't have assisted steering but it's not that heavy. Nowadays it's an old car yet I think maybe I could buy one again...Nov 30, 2010
by Anonymous
Nov 23, 2009
My moms car. It has very good gas mileage. I have always liked the body style. Pretty good performance for such a small engine/car. It leaks at the sunroof, and it has problems starting.It also has rust issues, but thats because we had a repair job on it and the repairmen didn't do a good job on it.Nov 23, 2009
by Anonymous
Sep 02, 2009
This car is a great one. Easy to drive, very comfortable interior. Nice handling, although the suspension comes up a little short. Lots of little things make this vehicle special. The tilt up headlamp motors can wear out over time, so I recommend wiring in a separate switch to raise/lower them. Also, watch out for the spare tire cover. It will break easily if you put too much weight on it. Overall, however, a fantastic little car with great gas mileage and lotsa fun!Sep 02, 2009

1988 Toyota Corolla Pricing

Original MSRP
$8,258 to $12,728
Price range
N/A
Average price on CG
N/A
YoY price change
N/A

Trims & specs

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Seats

Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Convenience Features

Steering wheel: tilt-only

Seats

Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Convenience Features

Steering wheel: tilt-only

Seats

Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Seats

Front seat type: sport bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Windows

Front wipers: intermittent

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Comfort Features

Steering wheel trim: leather

Convenience Features

Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable

Mirrors

Exterior mirrors: power

Roof

Sunroof: power glass

Seats

Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Windows

Front wipers: intermittent

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Convenience Features

Steering wheel: tilt-only

Roof

Sunroof: power glass

Seats

Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Windows

Front wipers: intermittent

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Convenience Features

Steering wheel: tilt-only

Roof

Sunroof: power glass

Seats

Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Comfort Features

Steering wheel trim: leather

Convenience Features

Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable

Mirrors

Exterior mirrors: power

Seats

Front seat type: sport bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Windows

Front wipers: intermittent

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Convenience Features

Steering wheel: tilt-only

Roof

Sunroof: power glass

Seats

Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Audio System

AM/FM radio

Convenience Features

Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable

Roof

Sunroof: power glass

Seats

Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth

Tires and Rims

Wheels: steel

Windows

Front wipers: intermittent

See all trims (10)
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